KL Rahul to miss third Test against England due to sore knee: Report

KL Rahul (Pic: AFP)

Star India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul will miss the upcoming IND vs ENG 3rd Test in Rajkot due to a sore knee, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo.

The report also stated that left-handed batter Devdutt Padikkal will replace Rahul in the squad.

After a few scans, it became clear that the 31-year-old wasn't fully fit for which he had to miss the second Test match against England in Visakhapatnam.

With former India skipper Virat Kohli not available for the remaining three Test matches, Rahul's injury is a blow for the Indian side in the tightly contested series.

Earlier on Saturday, while announcing the squad for the last three matches of the Test series against England, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said that Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul's participation depended on fitness clearance from the medical team.

"The participation of Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul is subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI medical team," BCCI had said.

Virat Kohli had earlier missed the first two Tests. His last appearance came in the T20I series against Afghanistan earlier in January.

"Virat Kohli will remain unavailable for selection for the remainder of the series due to personal reasons. The Board fully respects and supports Mr. Kohli's decision," the board had said in a statement.

Also Read: ‘Thrice' as bad!

Meanwhile, senior middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer, who complained of groin and lower back stiffness has not been picked for the IND vs ENG 3rd Test. However, his medical update has not been provided by the BCCI. It is believed that Iyer would have been dropped in any case and his injury made the decision easier for selectors. "If Shreyas was to be rested because of injury, the BCCI medical bulletin would have had an update. Since there are no updates, it can be concluded that he has got the axe," the source said.

The only new face in the 17-man squad is Bengal speedster Akash Deep, who has been rewarded for his consistent show in first-class cricket and in recent India A v England Lions Test series. Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar has been released with Jadeja coming back while Mohammed Siraj is back in the squad in place of Avesh Khan.

(With agency inputs)